This past summer, I had the incredible opportunity to participate in an internship program in Barcelona that truly changed my life. From fulfilling long-held dreams to making lasting global connections, this experience was nothing short of transformative.
After 8 years of dreaming, I finally realized my goal of having an international experience. Living on a university campus in Barcelona allowed me to meet people from all over the world and practice both Spanish and English. I chose Barcelona to improve my Spanish, and while the internship was in English, which was great for practice, speaking and using Spanish daily was an incredible opportunity.
I visited six new cities and towns, including Barcelona, L’Estartit, and Carcassonne during the program trips. Afterward, I spent an additional week in Spain, exploring Madrid, Toledo, and Segovia. Barcelona has now become one of my favorite places. This program also introduced me to people from around the world. I enjoyed comparing our cultures, discovering our commonalities, and celebrating our differences. I experienced a bit of Spanish culture and glimpses of many others.
This was my first internship, and I applied my marketing skills while observing the organizational culture of a Barcelona startup. Additionally, as an Absolute Creator, I produced content for social media, including videos and photos. I made lasting global connections during my internship and with the program coordinators and fellow students, who I now proudly call friends.
A huge thank you to the Absolute Internship program for making this all possible. Without your support and opportunities, none of this would have happened.
What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Go out and tour the city as much as you can. A month seems like a lot, but you have to take into account that you will spend a lot of time on the internship, and you won't have the whole day to be a tourist. I didn't visit several places in Barcelona because I always thought I would have time to do it later, and I ended up missing out. Even so, I managed to do several things and meet a lot of people. That's why I suggest doing this exchange during the European summer. You will have more time to visit tourist attractions, restaurants and go out with your friends, considering that it usually gets dark around ten at night, and even then, the city never sleeps.